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"For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:19-21 ESV)
Since moving to New York state about a month ago we have been trying to get the lay of the land. My husband has a better grasp than I do but I had my first trial run by myself today to get labs at the local hospital. Very confident, I left the hospital lab and headed out to get a few things for our new place. I looked forward to some long-needed shopping since many things had been misplaced in our move. Around every corner I went, my eyes peered at every sales item or flashy decor piece that would enhance the oh so small abode that was ours. It didn’t take long until I felt the pain creep in as I covered every inch of the store pushing the cart with the squeaky wheel or was that my knees complaining?
Since shopping had taken so long, I drew a blank when I tried to remember whether to turn left or right out of the parking lot. Going by the eeny, meeny, miny, moe system I struck out, hoping my choice was right. It was not! I searched for my phone to use the miraculous GPS, but it was not in my purse. Most likely it was on the kitchen table where I last seen it. My eyes now peered at sights and signs that could direct me home, but I went farther and farther out of the familiar to the very unfamiliar. Always thinking the next sign would say in bright letters, “turn here to get home.”
With no way to call anyone I relied on, mostly without even seeing a human, while the trees set smugly watching my struggle. Couldn’t there be a whisper of wind or an arrow marking the right turn?
I did get a lot of praying in, not only for the plight I had found myself but for other things that had been bothering me as we begin this new life. As I came up a steep hill, off to the right I gazed in amazement at my “safe place” a tiny building with a big sign that said New York State Police. An officer soon appeared to help me. After telling him of my long journey, he got a map and showed me where to go. On my adventure I begged assistance from a hurried FedEx man, who with a big smile who gave me instructions home and was then on his way. Since I evidently didn’t follow the directions from the FedEx man with the big smile, I came upon a very colorful bait shop and a very wonderful woman who gave me the “most helpful” directions. Excited to share her knowledge of the hills that would get me home, she preceded with the rather difficult instructions, at least for a brain who gets lost for three hours.
After the long process of turning left, then turn right until you come to the black cow standing by the gate of a rickety old house, I was once again on my way. And once again lost! Now being very near tears, I traveled on, certain I was beyond lost. I had run out of guides and teachers. There were no state police to point the way, and the bait shop was way out of sight. I was on an unfamiliar stretch of road when out of my left eye I saw a children’s playground and realized it was the Christian school near the place where my daughter was the principal.
At that time a verse that had stood out that very morning came to my memory from Isaiah. Since our decision to move, new questions arose seemingly every minute that required answered. We had never walked this way before, so I listened carefully for the Teacher to show us the way. As Isaiah tells us, we couldn’t always see God the Teacher but if we quieted our thoughts a Word came to us. “This is the way, walk in it.”
Jeanie Nihiser
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